Coupling centering and supporting mechanism



Dex; 26, 1922. i,440,052 A. J. BAZELEY. COUPLING CENTERING AND SUPPORTING MECHANI 5M- FILED APR- 9. 1920.

5 SHEETS'SHEET I Dec 26, 1922.

A. J. BAZELEY COUPLING CENTERING AND SUFPORTlNG MECHANISM.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FILED APR- 9, I920.

5 SHEETS'SHE-ET 3 Ill , A. J. BAZELEY. COUPLING CENTERING AN D SUPPORTING MECHANISM Fl LED APR- 9, I920 Dec. 26, 1922.

Dec. 26, 1922. 1,440,052

A. J. BAZELEY. COUPLING CENTERING AND SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

FILED APR- 9. 1920. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 Dec. 26, 1922. 1,440,052

A. J. BAZELEY. COUPLING CENTERING AND SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

FILED APR. 9, 1920. 5 SHEETSSHEET 5 m v ll/A- w ml Patentedlfilec. as, 1922.

near 2;: i Ares Pi r Nr iaiaasa CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

COUPLING onn'rnn'rne AND snrron'rrne'mnonanrsivt. j

Application filed April 9;

To all whom it may eoncern: g

Be it known that 1, ARTHUR J. BAZELEY,

a citizen of the UnitedKStates, residingat Cleveland, Cuyahogacounty, Ohio, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Coupling Centering and Supporting Mecha- IllSTDS, of whichthe'i ollowing'is a sp'eoifica tion, reference being had tothe accompany-v ing drawings, in wlnch Fig. 1 IS a plan View of my improved cen tering and supporting mechanism; Fig. 2'

is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is'a side elevation thereof; Figs. 4C, 5, *6, T nds are sections on lines 4t, 5-5, 6-6; 7-7 and 88, respectively, of Fig. 1; Fig. 9'show's a modified form of the supporting brackets; Fig. 10 is a side elevation thereof; Fi 11 shows in elevation a modified formo my invention, and Fig. 12is a section thereof.

My invention relates to cars in which the coupler is mounted to angle laterally, and in which provision must be made for centering the coupler and for supporting and carrying the train pipes during the angling movements of the coupler. To this'end nay-invention comprises a novel couplercente'ring mechanism, which also supports the train pipes and moves them laterally with the coupler in such manner as to prevent interference or damage from the'coupler during its angling movements or the other parts with which they might be brought into contact. My invention'also consistsinthe construction and arrangement of parts which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the coupler IJTVOCBdLtOthtE YOlC'G B, and Care the train pipes. Depending from: the car are the usual draft sills 2, to which arese cured the supporting brackets 3, which have outward extensions 4t and inward projections 5. The supporting brackets 3 and sills 2 within which, respectivelypthe train pipeclamps 11 and 12 seat. a a y a The recess13 in the centering casting7 is for the reception of the centering spring 14: and followers 15, which areretained in the opening by the tubular spring retainer 16 and the through bolt 16 The coupler supports 17 when the spring 14, followers,

retainer and boltare in position, are slid horizontally from foreandatt ofthe center- 1ngcast1ng7 into the-recess laandrest on the projections 5 of the brackets '3, and are secured to such projections by bolts 18. The lugsflt) on the supports 17 meet beneath the middle portion 20 of the centering casting 7 and thereby support-it. The spring followers 15:,wheir in operative position bear against the brackets 3at the" points 21 and against the centering casting '7 at the points 22, and are provided with depending lugs 15 which straddle the lower niemberof the casting and serve to steady and guide the spring followers.

fiVvllGIl lateral movement of the coupler shank in one direction is imparted through the lugs Sto the centering casting 7 the Inovementoi' the casting 7 will carry with it thetrain pipes C secured in the jaws 9 and 10 by the clamps 1 1 and 12, which slide along the extensions 4 and thereby keep the train pipes C the proper distance from the coupler head.

The movement of the centering casting 7 carries with it one of the' spring followers 15 and through it will compress the spring 14. The other spring follower 15 will remain stationary because of its bearing against the points 21' on the bracket 3. lVhen the pressure on the" spring "14 'is re lax'ech it will return thecentering casting 7 i to normal centering position, and with it the coupler shank and thetrain pipe C.

It desiredgcn'e or both oi. theextensions may be inclined, as is shown at the lefthand side of Figs. 2, l and 6, to assist the return of a train pipe to normal position by gra vity'.

lnfliigspQ and 10 l have shown a modified form of my invention in which thesupporting brackets have their lowerextremities tied together by a bar 23to keep them from spreading. The bar 23 is secured to the brackets by the bolts24. The bar 23 will also preventthe;couplersupports from falling 1 out in thefievent of displacement or breakage. i

In Fig. 111 have shown a further modification of my invention inwhich the supporting brackets are provided with jaws 25 in which links 96 are secured which support an uncoupling rod 27. The tie casting-23 is likewise provided with a 28 through which the lifting link 29 of the uncoupling mechanism. extends; The followers are shown as tubular in form, supporting and angle cocks.

i The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, ofexcludlng any mechanical equlvalents of the features shown and described, or I portionsthereof but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

N hat I claim is 1. Ina coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, depending members secured to the underframing of a car having aligned slots extending transversely, a-centering member engaging the coupler shank and movable with the coupler transversely in said slots, means attached to the depending members upon which the centering member moves, and a spring mechanism carried by the centering member and engaging the said member and a part immovable to the car. I

2; In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, a coupler cen-' tering member movable transversely of the car and engaging the coupler shank, de-.

pending members attached to the underframing of the car, means securing together the depending members and carrying the centering member, said centering member supporting a spring mechanism comprising a. spring and followers, said followersengag: ing. the centering member and a part immovable to the car.

In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, a centering member engaging thecoupler shank, depending members attached to the underframing of a car, a load carrying member between the depending members and carrying the centering member, said centering member supporting a spring centering mechanism comprising a spring and followers, said .followers engaging and operable between the centering member, and a part immovable to the car, the centering member also carrying laterally extending train; pipe engaging means adapted to maintain the train pipe connections a predetermined distance from the coupler head as it angles laterally.

I at. In a coupler centering device, a coupler of the said centering member, a spring mechanism also mounted in said recessed portion of the centering member and comprising a spring and followers, said followers engaging the centering member and the depending members, whereby movement of the coupler laterally in either direction will be resisted the compression of the spring between a follower bearing on the said member and a follower bearing on a depending member.

5. In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, depending members secured to the underframing of a car, a centering member engaging the coupler shank and movable with the coupler transg versely to the car, load carrying means attached to the depending members and form ing a-bearing for the centering member, a spring centering mechanism engaging the centering member and the depending members, the centering member also carrying train pipe coimect'ions, whereby when the coupler angleslaterally, the train pipe connections will be maintained at a predeternfiined distance from the coupler.

6." In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, members depending from the car slotted transversely for the reception of a coupler centering member, vsaid coupler centering member being supported upon a load carrying element secured to; the depending members and being actuated to move transversely insaid slots by the coupler as it angles laterally, and. a spring in the centering member for returning the centering member and with it-the coupler to normal position;

7.v In a coupler, centering device, a coupler mounted between members depending from the underframing'of a car to angle laterally, a coupler centering member engaging the coupler and extending laterally outside the depending members, the centering member having jaws outside the depending membersarranged to engage the train pipe connections, supporting means for the centering member immovable to the car, the centering member being movable laterally with the coupler and carrying the train pipe con nections withit', and a spring having a bearing on the centering member and operable to cause the centering member and through it the coupler and train pipe connect-ions to return to normal position.

8. In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, a coupler centering member engaging the coupler and having extensions by which train pipe connections are engaged, the centering member being movable laterally with the coupler and carrying the train pipe connections with it, supporting means for the centering member immovable to the car, and a spring carried by the centering member operable to cause the centering member, and through it the coupler and train pipe connections, to return to normal position, said centering mem- 10 her and spring being removable as a unit.

9. In a coupler centering device, a coupler mounted to angle laterally, a coupler centering member engaging the coupler shank, depending members secured to the underframii'ig of the car and supporting the cou pler centering member, and a spring mechanism having followers straddling the centering member and engaging the depending members.

ARTHUR J. BAZELEY. 

